"After a busy morning at Urban Bistro, I will often pop into the Central Market to pick up a few specialty ingredients. Being at the doorstep of the Hilton, it allows for easy access to visit my good friend executive chef Simon Bryant. If you haven't eaten properly for a week, his miso kingfish noodle broth will keep you going during a bracing Adelaide winter and a trip around the market. We meet for a bowl of warming soul-restoring broth, a great chat and laugh, and shopping seems so much more fun." Bethany Finn, Urban Bistro, SA

Ingredients

60 ml sake

100 ml mirin

2 tsp white sugar

120 gm shiro miso paste (see note)

8 skinless Hiramasa kingfish fillets (80gm each)

1 tbsp peanut oil

80 gm soba noodles

100 gm enoki mushrooms, trimmed

100 gm oyster mushrooms, coarsely torn

1 gm dried wakame (see note)

240 gm silken tofu, cut into 5cm cubes

2 green onions, white part only, sliced diagonally

To serve: coriander cress and chilli oil

Miso broth

½ leek, white part only, halved lengthways

100 gm white radish (daikon), coarsely chopped

½ onion, quartered

1 garlic clove, halved

5 cm piece konbu (see note)

10 gm dried anchovy (see note)

10 gm bonito flakes (see note)

100 gm shiro miso paste

Method

Main

1

For miso broth, tie vegetables, garlic and konbu up in a piece of muslin. Combine in a saucepan with 1.6 litres of water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until daikon is tender and liquid has reduced by half (45-60 minutes), then remove vegetables and discard. Tie dried anchovies and bonito flakes in a separate piece of muslin, add to pan and cook for 10 minutes to infuse. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan over low-medium heat, add miso paste, stir to dissolve miso (3-5 minutes) and set aside.

2

Meanwhile, heat sake, mirin and sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar (1-2 minutes). Flame with a match, then once flame is extinguished add miso paste, stir to combine and cool completely. Place kingfish in a non-reactive dish, pour over miso mixture, cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, cook noodles according to packet instructions, refresh under cold running water, drain and set aside.

4

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, drain kingfish from marinade and cook, turning occasionally, until rich caramel in colour (3-5 minutes each side), then reduce heat to low and cook until just cooked through (2-3 minutes).

5

To serve, bring miso soup to the boil, add mushrooms and wakame. Place tofu in the centre of each bowl, top with noodles and kingfish, divide broth and mushrooms between bowls, scatter with green onion and coriander, drizzle with chilli oil and serve immediately.

Notes

Note Shiro (white) miso paste, dried wakame and konbu (types of dried kelp) bonito flakes and dried anchovies are available from Japanese and Asian grocers.